Grandma's Dutch Apple Pie

It's the one Grandma made in a battered pie tin older than your first heartbreak-topped with brown sugar crumble and whispered curses if you touched it before it cooled. This Dutch apple pie is all butter, no shortcuts, and just enough streusel to make the angels weep with joy. You want fall? This is it. In flaky layers and cozy, sticky-sweet goodness.

Table of Contents

• 🎥 Watch how this Dutch apple pie comes together
• ❤️ What makes this Dutch apple pie worth heating up the oven
• 🧾 The grocery list for this autumn apple dessert
• 📖 Recipe
• 🔪 Step-by-step instructions, because Grandma's not here to walk you through it
• What are the best apples for apple pie recipes?
• 👩‍🍳 You asked, I answered (because someone always has questions about pie)
• 📚 If you liked this Dutch apple pie, you'll probably love these too
• 💬 Comments

🎥 Watch how this Dutch apple pie comes together

This is the part where the kitchen turns into a memory. Watch step-by-step as I walk you through the steps-from peeling the apples to mixing the streusel, then baking a pie that practically hums with fall flavors. It's quick, it's easy, and yes-there's a trick to getting that crumb topping just right. Hit play and see how the magic happens.

❤️ What makes this Dutch apple pie worth heating up the oven

• I'm giving you the secret to the MOST delicious apple filling ever. (hint: it's the combination of apple varieties)
• That brown sugar crumble on top? It's practically a personality trait.
• The crust stays crisp-no soggy bottoms, no excuses.
• Pairs perfectly with vanilla ice cream, coffee, or emotional closure.
• Freezes like a dream, but good luck not eating the whole thing first.

🧾 The grocery list for this autumn apple dessert

These are the basics that build the best kind of comfort. Just-picked apples, real butter, warm spices, and a handful of pantry staples. No surprises, no shortcuts-just the kind of ingredients that fill a kitchen with the smell of home and maybe make someone tear up a little. It's that kind of pie.

• Pie dough for a single-crust pie: Use your favorite homemade crust or a quality store-bought one. No judgment-but flakier is always better.
• Apples: Use a mix for the best flavor and texture. Think tart Granny Smith + sweet Honeycrisp. Maybe a Mac thrown in for good measure. Balance is everything.
• Apple cider vinegar: Just a splash to brighten the filling and keep it from turning into applesauce mush. Trust Grandma on this one.
• Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and helps the apples release their juices.
• Brown sugar (not pictured, but absolutely essential): Gives the streusel its signature depth and molasses-y goodness. Don't skip it, don't skimp it.
• All-purpose flour: Used in both the filling and the topping to thicken and crisp. It's the glue that holds the delicious chaos together.
• Salt: Just enough to keep things from tasting flat. A little contrast makes the sweet sing.
• Butter: Cold, cubed, and generous. It's the soul of the streusel and the secret to golden pie edges.
• Ground cinnamon: Warm, spicy, and non-negotiable. If it doesn't smell like fall, you're not doing it right.
• Ground cloves: Just a pinch-this is the quiet background note that makes people say, "What is that? It's amazing."

Tired of scrolling with buttery fingers? This one-page printable Dutch apple pie kitchen cheat sheet has everything you actually need-and zero stuff you don't. All the extra tips and tricks. It's the shortcut Grandma never wrote down but totally would've used if she'd had a printer and Wi-Fi. ✏️ Print it, stick it to the fridge, and bake like the pie boss you are.

📖 Recipe

🔪 Step-by-step instructions, because Grandma's not here to walk you through it

No guesswork, no vague "until it looks right" nonsense. These steps will walk you through every part of the pie-from slicing apples to that golden crumble topping-without overcomplicating what should be a simple, classic dessert. If you can stir, slice, and not burn your fingers, you've got this.

1. Peel, core, and slice the apples: Aim for about ¼-inch thick slices so they cook evenly and don't turn to mush. You want tender, not applesauce.
2. Toss the apple slices with sugar in a large mixing bowl: This starts drawing out the juices and builds that syrupy goodness we're after.
3. Add the flour, cinnamon, cloves, and salt: Sprinkle it over the apples like you mean it, then give everything a good stir to coat.
4. Pour in the vinegar and mix it all together: It won't taste like vinegar-promise. It just wakes everything up and keeps the filling bright.
5. Roll out your bottom crust, fit it into the pie plate, and pile in the apple mixture: Go ahead, heap it a little. The apples will cook down.
6. In a separate bowl, make the crumble topping: Combine the flour, brown sugar, and cold butter. Use your fingers, a pastry cutter, or two forks-whatever gets it nice and crumbly.
7. Sprinkle the crumble generously over the apple filling: Don't pack it down-let it sit loose so it bakes up crunchy and golden.
8. Bake until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling: Your whole house will smell like a fall dream. That's how you know it's done.
9. Cool before slicing… if you can wait: Let it sit for at least 30 minutes so the juices don't run all over the plate. Or just grab a spoon and call it rustic.

Expert Tip: When apples are especially juicy, the sugar can pull the juices out during baking and you end up with too much liquid. That makes a watery filling. To fix this, add the sugar mixture to the apples and then put them aside for about 30 minutes. If there is any extra juice, it will come out of the apples and collect in the bottom of the bowl. Just pour it off and continue with the pie as directed in the recipe.

What are the best apples for apple pie recipes?

The best apples for baking are: HoneyCrisp, MacIntosh, Braeburn, Winesap, Jonathon, Jazz, or Granny Smith apples.

Use a couple of different varieties of apples rather than just one type to give your pie more flavor. For example, MacIntosh apples have a fabulous flavor but they don't hold their shape when cooked. So, we combine them with other apples to get the flavor AND texture we're looking for.

👩‍🍳 You asked, I answered (because someone always has questions about pie)

Dutch apple pie sounds simple, but trust me-there's always a little confusion about the topping, the apples, or whether you really have to wait for it to cool. Have more questions? Check out the free, printable kitchen cheat sheet

📚 If you liked this Dutch apple pie, you'll probably love these too

Keep the oven warm-there's more where that came from. These cozy, crowd-pleasing recipes are just as comforting, just as nostalgic, and just as likely to vanish before you get a second slice.

• Another one of my favorite apple recipes, this Apple Bread tastes just like fritters-gooey cinnamon layer included!
• Red Hots Candy Apple Pie has the best cinnamon flavor, thanks to Red Hot candy syrup and a splash of Fireball Whiskey.
• German apple pie is creamy and appley - very unique and over the top delicious.
• Buttery cake, sugary crust, and a Whiskey brown butter sauce-this Irish Apple Cake is only missing one thing: you!
• Apple bundt cake is full of fall flavor in an easy cake that stays moist for days.

Y'all, apple pie goes with anything you put on the table. If you want to fancy it up a bit put a scoop of this Cinnamon Gelato on top. It's an elevated pairing for classic apple pie!

This is the best apple pie, ever - I promise. SO tangy and sweet and buttery! It's perfect for the fall season but I love it all year long!

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️